


The Last Light

by SemperAeternumQue



Series: Remember [1]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: ALL THE ANGST, Adoption, Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Child Abandonment, Dysfunctional Family, Elrond's life sucks, Families of Choice, Gen, Gil-galad is confused, Heavy Angst, I am not kidding, Inspired by Music, Literally so much angst, Maedhros is fucked up, No One Is Okay, POV Third Person Limited, Poor Elrond, Poor Elros, Realllly Angsty, Sad Ending, The Oath sucks, War of Wrath, Written from 5 different POVs, like really sad, like seriously
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-28 21:48:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18764890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SemperAeternumQue/pseuds/SemperAeternumQue
Summary: A super short, super angsty version of how Maglor and Maedhros might have said goodbye to Elrond and Elros. Written from five different perspectives (Elrond, Elros, Maglor, Maedhros and Gil-galad). Very sad ending. You have been warned.





	1. Maglor

**Author's Note:**

> So, this started because I had Elrond have a flashback to Maglor and Maedhros leaving him with Gil-galad in another story, and then I decided to write a goodbye scene for them. I initially only wrote Maglor’s perspective, because he was the easiest, but then I got a great idea for a line in Elros’ perspective, and then I ended up writing it from the perspective of each member of this little family. Then, because I have a weird love for outside perspectives, I wrote Gil-galad’s. (Everything’s just that much more fun and angsty when you don’t know what the characters are thinking!) Elros’s is my favorite (and also the saddest), but I hope you like them all.
> 
> If you really want to be hit in the feels, listen to ‘Remember’ by Josh Groban while you’re reading this and then imagine Maglor singing that song to Elrond and Elros before he leaves. (The title is from Remember, the line ‘it is the last light/to fade into the rising sun’.) 
> 
> This is an older work of mine and not as good as some of my others, but I thought I'd post it anyways. I honestly have no idea how old Elrond and Elros would be at this point, so if you think they act too young, that's why.
> 
> As always, any feedback is most appreciated!

Maglor carefully holds his face neutral as Gil-galad asks him if he’s certain, even if his heart is screaming ‘SAY NO’. “Yes.” He says quietly. “The twins will be safer with you.” Gil-galad nods, still regarding him skeptically. “Alright. I suppose you should go say your goodbyes then.” The king says, and Maglor’s heart breaks a little.

Maglor knows he must leave, even if it hurts. The oath is driving him on, and the twins will be safer and happier with Gil-galad. Being raised by two kinslayers will already put them in an awkward situation, and it’s dangerous for the Sons of Feanor to stay any longer. Still, he watches Elros stare around at Gil-galad’s camp in wonder, and Elrond talk animatedly with one of the healers, happier than Maglor’s ever seen him, and he wishes that he did not have to go.

Maedhros is standing near the edge of the camp, face unreadable as he polishes his sword. He is so different from the elf Maglor once knew that Maglor can hardly reconcile the two.

Eventually Maedhros turns to Maglor. “Say goodbye to the twins, Kano.” He says. He has turned away from Elrond and Elros, face as hard as stone. Those who do not know Maedhros would say it is because he does not care. Maglor knows it is because he cannot bear to say goodbye.

“We’re leaving.” Maglor says to the twins, who instantly put their focus on him. “Just for a little bit.” He adds, the lie sour on his tongue. “You’ll be alright.” It is more a statement of one trying to convince himself of its truth than a question, but the twins nod anyways. Maglor tries to swallow down the lump in his throat. “I’ll be back soon.” He says, trying to convince himself that the twins will be happier this way. “Okay atto.” Elros says. “Elrond and I will stay safe.” Maglor tries and fails to smile as he turns to leave, reminding himself that the twins are better off without them.

And then, because he cannot bear to have the last thing he says to them be a lie, he adds “I love you.” The twins, these beautiful children that he does not deserve in the slightest, just smile, as if it is ordinary to be told ‘I love you’ by your kidnapper who is about to abandon you. “We love you too, atto.” Elros says. “And atar also.” Elrond is silent, and Maglor knows that he saw Maglor’s final ‘I love you’ for what it was.

A goodbye.

Maglor walks away, and he does not look back. He knows he cannot look back, or he will run right back to the camp and cry and beg for the twins’ forgiveness. He must not look back. He must leave.

It hurts more than anything he’s ever done.


	2. Elrond

For the first time in a while, Elrond is truly happy. He is talking with a healer, who knows so much more than the people he has learned from, and it’s so fascinating. More than that, Elros is nearby, and he looks happy, and Maedhros stands near the edge of the camp, if not happy at least still safe, and Maglor is also safe as he talks to a silver-haired elf in a low voice, pain written across his face.

Deep inside Elrond knows that something is wrong, but he ignores that, because soon Maglor and Maedhros will call them over and it will be time to leave, but until then he is determined to enjoy himself.

Eventually Maglor finishes talking to the silver-haired elf, and Maedhros turns from his silent vigil. “Say goodbye to the twins, Kano.” _Say goodbye?_ Elrond wonders. His question is answered when Maglor turns to them.

“We’re leaving.” Elrond immediately devotes his full attention to their foster-father, and Elros does the same. “Just for a little bit.” Maglor adds, not meeting their gaze. “You’ll be alright.” It isn’t a question, but Elros nods anyways and so does Elrond.

“I’ll be back soon.” Maglor promises, still not meeting their eyes. “Okay atto.” Elros says from beside Elrond. “Elrond and I will stay safe.” Maglor smiles brokenly, turning away, and something in Elrond cries out ‘no, no, this isn’t right, this isn’t okay’.

Maglor turns back, and that little part sighs in relief, but all Maglor does is open his mouth one last time. “I love you.”

Elros smiles, unaware that anything is wrong. “We love you too, atto.” He says. “And atar also.” Elrond is silent, because Maglor’s ‘I love you’ wasn’t a statement.

It was a goodbye.

Maglor turns and walks away, following Maedhros. Elrond stares after them even after they are out of the range of Elrond’s keen elven eyesight, unwilling to miss this last look at their fathers.

The Feanorions do not look back once, and Elrond’s heart breaks just a little bit more.


	3. Elros

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have my favorite one, y'all!

The camp is so LARGE. There are a hundred more impressive things about it, but that’s what springs to Elros’s mind. The Feanorian camp has always been small, mainly because there were always so few people left.

This camp is huge to the young peredhel’s eyes, and he takes it in eagerly. His brother is talking with one of Gil-galad’s healers, Maglor is talking to some silver-haired elf, Maedhros is lurking nearby and Elros is happy.

He is not observant like Elrond, so he does not notice the pain on Maglor’s face as he talks to Gil-galad, or how Maedhros wears the expression he has when he is about to do something hard as he polishes his sword.

He does not sense the wrongness in the air or see the shadow that falls across Maglor’s face as he and Gil-galad finish their conversation and Maedhros turns to his brother. “Say goodbye to the twins, Kano.” He says. He is not looking at Elrond and Elros.

Maglor turns to Elrond and Elros. “We’re leaving.” He says. “Just for a little bit.” He also does not look at them. “You’ll be alright.” Elros nods, because it seems like Maglor needs reassurance of that. Elrond does likewise.

“I’ll be back soon.” Maglor promises, and if there’s a hint of guilt or uncertainty in his voice, Elros does not hear it. “Okay atto.” He says. “Elrond and I will stay safe.” Maglor begins to turn and leave, but turns back to the twins one last time. “I love you.”

Elros smiles, because who wouldn’t be happy to be told that they are loved? “We love you too, atto. And Atar also.” Elrond is silent, understanding something that Elros does not.

Maglor turns and walks away with his brother, and Elros does not understand why Elrond stares after them with such heartbreak.

(Deep inside, Elros does understand. Some fundamental part of him knows that Maglor and Maedhros are not coming back, but he pushes that part far, far down and chooses to believe that the Feanorions would never do that to their own sons. [Later, when it becomes clear that they have been left, he will rage and storm. Elrond will simply be silent and resigned, and yet again Elros will not understand.])


	4. Chapter 4

Maedhros stands near the edge of Gil-galad’s camp, distinctly unhappy. There are many reasons why he is unhappy, ranging from the political repercussions of their visit to the glares being directed at him by most of the elves.

But the main reason is what they are here to do. He should be more immune to loss by now, but he’s not, and neither is he ready to leave Elrond and Elros. For the first time in many blood-drenched years he has dared to hope, and now they are leaving the source of that hope behind.

He polishes his sword and watches his brother negotiate with Gil-galad, wondering why they are doing this. The cold, rational part of him knows that it will be better for the twins, but the soft part of his heart he thought he’d squashed long ago is impossibly sad.

Maedhros pushes those feelings down as far as he can, far enough to do what needs to be done. “Say goodbye to the twins, Kano.”

His brother turns to their sons. “We’re leaving.” He says, blunt and sounding far more like Maedhros than like himself. “Just for a little bit.” Maglor adds. “You’ll be alright.” The twins nod. “I’ll be back soon.” Maglor promises.

Maedhros can hear the uncertainty and guilt in his voice and wonders if it’s possible to hate himself more. Still, this is the only way. Elros tries to smile reassuringly. “Okay atto. Elrond and I will stay safe.”

Maedhros turns away from the scene, unwilling to watch his brother lie to these children. “I love you.” He hears Maglor add, voice beautiful even as it’s tinged with sadness. “We love you too, atto.” A child’s voice responds. Elros’s. “And atar also.” He adds.

Maedhros clenches his remaining hand into a fist, unable to bear hearing that from the mouth of one who by all rights should hate them.

He walks away. Behind him he hears Maglor start to follow. He walks away with no regrets, knowing this is what needs to be done, and then he feels Elrond’s gaze lock on his back.

And Maedhros knows. He knows that the peredhel knows of their intentions. Maglor and Maedhros will never return, and Elrond knows it. And Maedhros breaks just a little more


	5. Gil-galad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo, last chapter!

Gil-galad stares at the elf in front of him in shock. “You mean, after years of keeping them hostage, you’ve decided to leave them with me?” Maglor Feanorion nods. “It is not a matter of politics now. The boys will be safest with you, and that is all that matters.” Gil-galad fights to keep his face neutral. “Are you certain?”

“Yes.” Maglor says. “The twins will be safer with you.” Although the Son of Feanor is wearing a diplomatic mask much like Gil-galad, the king can see the heartbreak underneath it, and maybe that’s what prompts him to say what he says next. “Alright. I suppose you should go say your goodbyes then.”

He keeps his face carefully neutral, but both of them know what he is offering. A chance to speak to the twins one last time.

“Say goodbye to the twins, Kano.” Maglor’s brother calls from the edge of the camp. Gil-galad watches as Maglor turns to the children. “We’re leaving.” He says bluntly. Gil-galad winces.

“Just for a little bit. You’ll be alright.” Maglor adds, and Gil-galad flinches at the lie even as the twins are nodding. “I’ll be back soon.” Maglor promises. “Okay atto.” One of the twins (he can’t yet tell them apart) says. “Elrond and I will stay safe.”

Maglor turns to leave, and Gil-galad hates him. This only serves to reinforce Gil-galad’s view of the Sons of Feanor as evil. He wants to yell at Maglor for lying to children like that, for abandoning them with strangers.

But he doesn’t, because Maglor turns back to the twins one last time. “I love you.” He says.

Gil-galad doesn’t know why, but he can’t bring himself to keep hating the kinslayer in that moment. Maybe it’s because of the look of sheer agony on Maglor’s face as he turns away again, or maybe it’s because the same twin who spoke earlier speaks again. “We love you too atto. And atar also.” The other twin says nothing.

The Kinslayers walk away, one twin watching them intensely, and Gil-galad’s heart breaks for the strange little family.

It truly isn’t fair that families, not matter how non-traditional, have to be sundered as a result of this war. It isn’t fair that the kinslayers are still bound by the oath, or that these children should be abandoned with strangers because of it.

Gil-galad knows by now not to swear binding oaths, but he vows privately to look after the strange young twins, especially the one still staring after the kinslayers with a heartbroken look.

Gil-galad does not understand what prompts anyone to leave a child as he himself was left, but he vows to never do so. These children have no family left, so he will be their family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So guys, I also have a whole sequel to this written. Would you like me to post it, or was this enough heartbreak for you?

**Author's Note:**

> I struggled with deciding if I should only post Maglor's perspective or post all of them, but I've decided to post them all. I hope you enjoy the rest!


End file.
